Visiting Committee Chairs
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MILLS HIGH SCHOOL SELF-STUDY REPORT 400 Murchison Drive Millbrae, California 94030 San Mateo Union High School District March 5 – 7, 2012 Visiting Committee Robert Lee Davidson Committee Chair Program Manager J.E. Young Academic Center Fresno, CA Ron Everett Director, Human Resources Petaluma City Schools Petaluma, CA Laurie Fong Principal Montgomery High School Santa Rosa, CA Laurie Marcellin Assistant Superintendent, Instruction San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District Ben Lomond, CA Committee Member TBD Committee Member TBD San Mateo Union High School District BOARD OF TRUSTEES Robert H Griffin .................................................................................................................. President Peter H. Hanley .......................................................................................................... Vice-President Linda Lees Dwyer ...................................................................................................................... Clerk Marc Friedman ...................................................................................................................... Trustee Stephen E. Rogers ................................................................................................................. Trustee Katherine Hsu......................................................................... Student Representative, Spring 2012 DISTRICT OFFICE Scott Laurence ......................................................................................................... Superintendent Elizabeth McManus .................................................................................... Deputy Superintendent V. Andy Parsons ................................................................... Associate Superintendent, Instruction Kirk Black ........................... Associate Superintendent, Human Resources/Administrative Services KindyLee Stumpp ...................................... Director, Alternative Programs/Attendance & Welfare Cynthia Clark ............................................................................ Director, Curriculum & Assessment Gloria Dirkmaat ...................................................................................... Director, Special Education A. Kyle Brumbaugh.............................................................................Director, Technology Support Devra Miller .......................................................................................... Manager, Special Programs Mills High School ADMINISTRATION Paul Belzer .......................................................................................................................... Principal Linda Kitano ................................................................. Assistant Principal, Administrative Services Irma Muñoz ..................................................................... Assistant Principal, Instructional Services Tim Christian ......................................................................................................... Dean of Students WASC COORDINATOR Melissa Wagner ............................................................................................ Social Science Teacher TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1: Student/Community Profile and Supporting Data and Findings ....................... 1 Chapter II: Student/Community Profile — Overall Summary from Analysis of Profile Data ........................................................................................................ 36 Chapter III: Progress Report .................................................................................................. 40 Chapter IV: Self-Study Findings ............................................................................................ 48 A: Organization: Vision and Purpose, Governance, Leadership and Staff, and Resources ...................................................................................................... 49 B: Standards-based Student Learning: Curriculum .................................................. 86 C: Standards-based Student Learning: Instruction ................................................... 109 D: Standards-based Student Learning: Assessment and Accountability ................. 127 E: School Culture and Support for Student Personal and Academic Growth ................................................................................................. 148 Prioritized Areas of Growth Needs from Categories A through E ............................. 171 Chapter V: Schoolwide Action Plan ...................................................................................... 172 Appendices ............................................................................................................................. 197 Chapter I Student/Community Profile Supporting Data and Findings Chapter I: Student/Community Profile and Supporting Data and Findings Community Mills High School is in Millbrae, California, approximately 15 miles south of San Francisco and adjacent to the San Francisco International Airport. Mills has served the communities of Millbrae, Burlingame and San Bruno since 1958, offering programs to prepare students for post-secondary options. Recently Mills celebrated its 50th anniversary at the Mills Community Center, bringing together the community, parents, alumni, and current and former staff members. Mills High School was built on the estate of Darius Odgen Mills. Originally, the land belonged to Jose Antonio Sanchez, a distinguished solider in the Mexican army. Rancho Buri Buri, as it was called, was granted to Jose Antonio Sanchez in 1835. After the Mexican-American War, Mexican land grants, including Rancho Buri Buri were divided among numerous owners. In the 1860s, Darius Odgen Mills purchased the land that is now known as Millbrae, CA. The city of Millbrae is a middle- to upper-middle class community which maintains a small town feel. The population has not shifted much over the last ten years. The median household income is $70,712, below the San Mateo County median of $94,517. Families represent 69% of the community of 21,000 residents, and 87% of the residents have completed high school or higher education. Millbrae is a diverse community – according to 2007 statistics: 33% White, 3% Black, 17% Latino, 33% Asian, and 12% other. The median age in the community is 43, which is older than the national median. Lastly the median home value is $552,000. School Mills High School is one of six comprehensive high schools in the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD) serving roughly 1,340 students from very diverse ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds in grades nine through twelve. The SMUHSD has an open enrollment policy allowing students from all over the District to enroll at Mills High School. The primary feeder school is Taylor Middle with additional students entering from Burlingame Intermediate School and from various private schools. Over the past ten years, Mills has been under consistent construction to renovate and improve site facilities. Construction initiated with the passage of school bond Measure D in November 2000 and was followed by the passage of Measure M in November of 2007. Modernization projects supported by the Measure D bond included the renovation of all general education classrooms and administrative offices. Measure M projects include the renovation of all science labs, Career Technical Education classrooms including a Multi-Media lab, Bio-technology lab, Art classroom, and Woodshop and attached CAD lab. In the fall of 2010, Mills opened a new Math wing, locker rooms, Dance and Weight rooms, and 25 meter pool. As of October, 2011, Mills also installed solar panels which now provide 85% of the school’s energy requirements. Beginning in November 2011, Mills began the last phase of the Measure M project list including the renovation of both gymnasiums and the demolition and construction of a new 1 auditorium and associated civil projects. Other facility improvements since the last WASC visit include the renovation of the Jim Cox Track and Field, mounted LCD projectors in all classrooms, and updated computers and computer labs. In 2010, the SMUHSD passed a third bond measure, Measure O, to complete remaining civil projects and construct a new continuation high school. State/Federal Mandates The San Mateo Union High School District entered Program Improvement during the 2009-10 school-year. In response, Mills High School has implemented strategic intervention classes aligned with English 1-2 and 3-4, and Algebra 1-2. These classes focus on improving reading comprehension, literacy and numeracy skills, and provide additional support for students working below grade level. Parent and Community Organizations Mills is fortunate to have significant support from our students’ parents and from the larger school community. Support from parents augments many areas of the school. Official organizations include the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), Mills Athletic Boosters, Mills Musical Arts Group (MMAG), Mills Drama Guild, and Friends of the Mills Library. The PTO and Booster groups have active parent support and meet monthly on campus to plan activities and share information. The Mills PTO currently has 150 members and issues a regularly communicates with parents via an email bulletin. Informally, the school receives support from parents as volunteers for the library, student registration, field trips, athletic teams, clubs, school performances, and Advanced